Your Online Food Order Is Now ₹2 Costlier, Thanks To Zomato & Swiggy Raising Their Platform Fees

Ordering biryani or pizza on Zomato or Swiggy will now cost a little extra. The food delivery majors have quietly nudged their platform fee by 2 rupees, just as the festive season kicks in and order volumes are expected to soar. The hike may seem small, but at scale it adds up to significant revenue during peak demand.

Zomato And Swiggy Push A ₹2 Charge Amid Festivals

According to News18, Zomato has upped its platform fee from ₹10 to ₹12, while Swiggy recently pushed its platform fee to ₹14, up from ₹12 in select pin codes, GST included. Company insiders suggest the hike is temporary and may be rolled back once the Diwali rush cools off. Zomato hasn’t offered any such caveat.

The move isn’t just about two extra rupees. At scale, those tiny add-ons translate into massive revenue cushions, especially when lakhs of orders fly in daily. October through December is crunch time for food-tech players. Navratri, Diwali, Christmas, and New Year are when delivery apps run at peak capacity and marketing spend balloons. A slightly higher platform fee helps offset rising delivery costs, surge-time incentives, and promotional blitzes.

But the timing also signals another truth: Zomato and Swiggy are spending heavily elsewhere, particularly in the quick-commerce race.

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Quick Commerce And Costly Bets

Zomato’s parent Eternal reported a steep 90% drop in consolidated net profit in the April-June quarter, ₹25 crore compared to ₹253 crore a year ago. Ironically, revenue jumped 70% in the same window, showing just how much capital is being funnelled into Blinkit, its 10-20 minute delivery arm.

Swiggy is burning profits more visibly. Its quarterly loss nearly doubled to ₹1,197 crore, largely thanks to Instamart. Operating revenue, however, grew 54% to ₹4,961 crore. The picture is clear: both firms are chasing grocery baskets and late-night essentials with urgency, even if it drags down near-term profitability.

While the two giants wrestle with scale and losses, a fresh challenger has quietly entered the ring. Rapido, better known for bike taxis, has launched Ownly, a food delivery service that’s currently live in Bengaluru’s Koramangala, HSR, and BTM Layout, as stated by News18. 

What sets it apart? It’s commission rates! While Zomato and Swiggy charge restaurants anywhere between 16% and 30%, Ownly plans to undercut with just 8-15%. That margin could tempt smaller eateries and cloud kitchens to test the waters, especially if the app can prove reliable on logistics.

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For now, users will feel only the pinch of higher platform fees. For Zomato and Swiggy, those extra rupees are a lifeline, keeping balance sheets steady while bankrolling an expensive quick-commerce war. But with Ownly circling the duopoly and festive demand about to peak, India’s food delivery market is gearing up for a season of both feasts and fights.

Cover Image Courtesy: zomato/Website and swiggy/Website